Ira and Maan were siblings and apple of their parent's eyes. Ira was 9 years and Maan was 7 years old. Today, they are going to their Nani's place as mummy needs to attend a conference in Delhi. So she will drop them at nani's place and pick them up on her way back. This is the first time when they would stay at nani's without mummy and that too for a good whole week.... Ira and Maan are so looking forward to spending their winter vacations at nani's place.
Both the kids were too happy to be with their many many cousins. Days were filled with all sort of games and nights were peaceful.
But something was constantly bothering Ira. She was noticing that Nani always discriminates between girls and boys. No, it was not that she loved one child more or less than others but it was a subconscious thing. She will ask Ira to peel the peas and Maan was supposed to go out and bring things from nearby shop. Ira's duty was to help her aunts in serving food while Maan will accompany his uncles to their shops.
It was not that Ira had issues working in the house but she also wants to go out. And not only her, Maan also wanted to sit in the kitchen and help his cousins and aunts but Nani will never let him do so.
That night when Ira and Maan were playing carrom, Ira asked her brother if he finds it irritating that he is always supposed to do a certain kind of tasks.
"Yes Didi. And it's annoying. I also want to sit with you and Rati didi when you are in the kitchen."
"And I also want to run errands."
So next day when Nani asked Maan to go out and get her slipper repaired, he gave it to Ira and she went out to get it fixed.
Meanwhile Maan found a dusting cloth and started dusting the showpieces in the living room.
When Nani saw Maan doing so, she stared at him for a few good seconds. And then called Rati to take the cloth from Maan and do the dusting. But Maan refused. Then only, Ira came back and happily showed Nani her slipper which was now as good as new.
But this made Nani so angry that she went to her room without saying a word.
Ira and Maan followed her.
"Nani, why are you upset?"
" Because you two think that you know better than me."
"It's not so Nani. We just swapped our jobs because Ira loves running errands and I love doing household chores. We do it this way only, back at home also." Replied Maan
This made the matters worse as this was not acceptable for Nani.
"What? What do you want to be? A househusband? You would cook food while your wife will earn money!"
This was funny for Ira and Maan both.
"That would be fun Nani."
Nani shot an angry gaze and smile vanished from the face of both the kids.
Then, Ira slowly sat beside Nani and told her,
" Nani, even I don't want to sit at home and cook only. Though I respect all those who are doing so but i want to be like Mumma. I want to be self dependent and Maan too is learning all this for himself."
" Your mumma is working but she cooks and takes care of her house as well."
" And do you have any idea how tiresome it is for her and that's why both of us and Papa help her however we can."
"But your Papa doesn't know to cook."
"And he regrets that he never learnt cooking because when mumma is not around or when she is ill, we end up eating outside food." Explained Ira
"Yes Nani, and I so want to learn all these things just because I don't want to be helpless when a woman is not around." Mann told her.
Nani was silent now. May be she was understanding and contemplating. So Ira said,
" No work is a boy's work or a girl's work nani. All these chores are life skills and mumma always made sure that both of us learn to take care of ourselves."
Nani got up and headed towards the door. Both the kids were disappointed because Nani didn't understand their point. And then Nani called Rati didi and Avinash bhaiya.
"Avinash, go and make some sharbat for all of us and Rati you bring some rabdi from Natthu halwai."
All the kids were gaping towards Nani. Nani hugged all four of them and said,
"We are celebrating tonight because you kids taught me a new lesson today."
Ira and Maan were feeling as if they are soaring high in the sky. They won a little battle today, against the monster of gender discrimination.
They both are Fairies of this new Fairytale because there is no rule that only a girl can be a fairy. In our new and gender discrimination free world, any girl can be a superhero and any boy can be a fairy... You Just need to choose your battles wisely and make sure to defeat the demon.
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